Government projections confirm Australia will not meet 2030 Paris target with current policies

In response to the release of the Federal Government’s greenhouse gas emissions projections, the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Economics Program Manager, Matt Rose, said:

“The Government’s latest projections confirm that Australia is not on track to meet our inadequate 2030 target for a 26-28 per cent cut in climate pollution against 2005 levels.

“Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly said Australia will meet its Paris Agreement targets in a canter, but the government’s own emissions projections tell a very different story.

“The latest figures show Australia is projected to emit 563 megatonnes (Mt) of climate pollution in 2030. A target of 26 per cent below 2005 levels is equivalent to 442Mt in 2030.

“The Prime Minister is not the only one having trouble accepting that Australia isn’t on track to meet our Paris target. Energy Minister Angus Taylor released a misleading statement this week titled, ‘National Electricity Market emissions to hit Paris target eight years early’ and on Radio National Breakfast tried to pretend Australia’s Paris target would be met by reductions in the electricity sector alone.

“There is no electricity emissions target in Australian or international law. Australia has an economy-wide 2030 goal that takes in electricity, transport, heavy industry and other sectors.

“Electricity makes up 34 per cent of Australia’s emissions, meaning almost two thirds comes from other sources, including transport (19 per cent), stationary energy (19 per cent) and agriculture (13 per cent).

“The Morrison Government has no policies to address Australia’s climate pollution problem.

“In fact, the Morrison Government supports the expansion of the coal industry – and is even considering bankrolling a new coal-fired power station with taxpayers’ funds – which will add to global warming and bring on more reef bleaching, heatwaves and bushfires.

“Australia needs elected representatives who acknowledge global warming as a national crisis and who have plans to address the problem,” he said.

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